"The Scarlet Letter" is a 19th-century romance novel written by the great American author Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Set in the restrictive New England Puritan society of Salem and Boston, Massachusetts, the novel starts out with a lengthy chapter describing how the book came about. A narrator describes how he found a certain piece of cloth, finely embroidered in gold with the letter "A." The listener will discover that the letter was a mark of disgrace and punishment for one woman who had been accused of adultery at a previous time.

The story of Hester Prynne and the scarlet letter she was forced to wear doesn't begin until after this initial chapter, which Hawthorne labels as the "Preamble."

Early in the novel, Hester Prynne and her infant daughter, Pearl, appear as they are led from the town prison and subjected to ridicule and punishment by the townspeople.

Hester has borne Pearl out of wedlock, and the town wants to know the father of the child, since Hester's husband was thought to have been previously lost at sea. The remainder of the story is an examination of Hester, her story, the two men in her life and an examination into the nature of sin itself.

Insightful readers and listeners will discover that the novel is a deep examination of Boston society and Puritan hypocrisy of that time as well as the people within Hester's community.

Who comes out on top, and whether there is any hope of retribution and eventual salvation is a question the listener must reserve for the novel.

Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804. It is interesting to note that one of his ancestors, John Hathorne, had served as one of the judges at the infamous Salem Witch Trials in 1692. To remind himself of his family's part in that part of American history, Hawthorne added the "w" to his name, which served as a reminder of his familial connection to witchcraft.

Hawthorne attended Bowdoin College in Maine, where he met Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He became interested in Transcendentalism as an outgrowth of his friendships with Ralph Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller.

Among Hawthorne's works are: "The Blithedale Romance," "The Marble Faun," "The House of the Seven Gables" and numerous short stories.

He is regarded as one of the greats in early American literature. Herman Melville, of "Moby Dick" fame, dubbed him the "American Shakespeare". Hawthorne died in May, 1864 at his home in Concord, Massachusetts.

It is 1642 in the Puritan town of Boston. Hester Prynne has been found guilty of adultery and has borne an illegitimate child. In lieu of being put to death, she is condemned to wear the scarlet letter A on her dress as a reminder of her shameful act.

Hester’s husband had been lost at sea years earlier and was presumed dead, but he reappears in time to witness Hester’s humiliation on the town scaffold. Upon discovering her deed, the vengeful husband becomes obsessed with finding the identity of the man who dishonored his wife. To do so he assumes a false name, pretends to be a physician, and forces Hester to keep his new identity secret. Meanwhile, Hester’s lover, the beloved Reverend Dimmesdale, publicly pressures her to name the child’s father while secretly praying that she will not. Hester defiantly protects his identity and reputation, even when faced with losing her daughter, Pearl.

Hailed by Henry James as “the finest piece of imaginative writing yet put forth in the country,” Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is a masterful portrayal of humanity’s continuing struggle with sin, guilt, and pride.

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Quotes & Awards

“[Nathaniel Hawthorne] recaptured, for his New England, the essence of Greek tragedy.”

Malcolm Cowley

“The Scarlet Letter isn’t a pleasant, pretty romance. It is a sort of parable, an earthly story with a hellish meaning.”

D. H. Lawrence

“Considered a masterpiece of American literature and a classic moral study.”

combines the strength and substance of an oak with the subtle organization of a rose, and is great, not of malice aforethought, but inevitably. It goes to the root of the matter, and reaches some unconventional conclusions, which, however, would scarce be apprehended by one reader in twenty. For the external or literal significance of the story, though in strict correspondence with the spirit, conceals that spirit from the literal eye. The reader may choose his depth according to his inches but only a tall man will touch the bottom…very story may be viewed under two aspects: as the logical evolution of a conclusion from a premise, and as something colored and modified by the personal qualities of the author. If the latter have genius, his share in the product is comparable to nature's in a work of human art,—giving it everything except abstract form… A gloomy and energetic religious sect, pioneers in a virgin land, with the wolf and the Indian at their doors, but with memories of England in their hearts and English traditions and prejudices in their minds; weak in numbers, but strong in spirit; with no cultivation save that of the Bible and the sword; victims, moreover of a dark and bloody superstition,—such a people and scene give admirable relief and color to a tale of human frailty and sorrow. Amidst such surroundings, then, the figure of a woman stands, with the scarlet letter on her bosom… But a writer who works with deep insight and truthful purpose can never be guilty of a lack of decency. Indecency is a creation, not of God or of nature, but of the indecent.whoever takes it for granted that indecency is necessarily involved in telling the story of an illicit passion has studied human nature and good literature to poor purpose.

Atlantic (an excerpt from the review)

“A gloomy and energetic religious sect, pioneers in a virgin land…with memories of England in their hearts and English traditions and prejudices in their minds; weak in numbers, but strong in spirit; with no cultivation save that of the Bible and the sword…Such a people and scene give admirable relief and color to a tale of human frailty and sorrow.”

Atlantic

Listener Opinions

Pamela | 2/20/2014

" A satisfying re-reading. This time around (my 3rd or 4th) I recognized more than before what a very strange book this is. It's realism with an extremely strong undertow of the supernatural--perhaps that is what is meant by "a romance," Hawthorne's label for The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne has here invented or found a great array of symbols and signs (Hester's letter, her daughter Pearl, sunshine and shade, the forest, the scaffold, a rosebush, a brook) that carry an uncanny, frightening charge. As a writer, I was fascinated by the fact that the novel is almost entirely summary and exposition and abstraction--and yet it is so humanly moving. My edition had a number of Hawthorne's more famous short stories, such as "Young Goodman Brown" and "The Minister's Black Veil," included, which extended the experience very nicely. "

Celeste | 2/18/2014

" A struggle for me to get through. Excellent sleep aid, though. "

Jamie | 2/18/2014

" Omg I hated this book, but what a masterpiece. "

John Miller | 2/18/2014

" This was very good, but I just found it a little difficult to read. But, a true classic. "

Ryan Dunlap | 2/17/2014

" What is there to say about The Scarlet Letter? Well first off Nathaniel Hawthorne is a hard author to read if you like things to be straight to the point. After getting through the first chapter you want to smack Nathaniel upside the head with the book and say was it really necessary to use half a page to describe the color of the room? Yes, I realize that everything is put into a book for a reason, but after a while you stop caring and just want to know about Hester's scarlet letter. Sometimes blue drapes can just be blue drapes Nathaniel. "

Sherry | 2/17/2014

" This book was pretty bad. Maybe I didn't like it because our teacher made us read and annotate the whole book in, like, 2 weeks. Worst experience ever. I had to stay up until 4 in the morning to annotate and finish. Not to mention I didn't have time to do my AP Calc BC, AP Chem, and APUSH homework. Oh, and I only got an A- on my annotations... "

Derek Stewart | 2/16/2014

" I did not think highly of this book. It presented the main conflicts of the story to early.In doing so the book maily relied on in depth descriptions of scenery and characters' personalities. All though set to be a dark romance i did not believe it was interesting enough to maintain anyones attention for long periods of time. "

Aurora Cunningham | 2/15/2014

" I liked the story line of the story, but the way that it was written sucked. It was hard to understand because we don't talk that way anymore. It was much easier to read in the modern text. Other than that, it wasn't that bad of a book. "

Tracy Mcdowell | 2/13/2014

" Pearl is one of my favorite charters I have ever read, but the stories flow was choppy and unenjoyable. "

Madison | 2/12/2014

" Loved this. I did an indepth look in my AP Lang class which opened resolved a lot of confusion. Once you conquer the symbolism, you're good. "

Sharon | 2/12/2014

" What can I say? I don't enjoy classics. And everyone seemed to die or fade away at the end, I didn't feel like there was any sort of happy resolution or acceptance. "

Gzchealsea | 2/11/2014

" I really did not like this book you would think that this would be a really good book because the plot sounds so intresting. This book is so boring I don't understand how the author could come up with such an intresting story but make it so boring. I definetly don't recomend this book to anyone. Let me be the one to save you the trouble of reading one of the most boringest books I ever read. DON'T READ "

Chandan Saini | 2/9/2014

" Next year's curriculum should incorporate this book because the book contains many themes, rhetorical devices, and ways of analyzing. Students can find various methods to analyze a particular theme in the book. Furthermore, this allows a student to write an excellent essay. Basically, the book is a viable mean to express your thoughts. Finally, the overall book is interesting in itself, but certain parts of it can be quite bland. "

Amber Ryczek | 2/8/2014

" This book seems to me for religious sort. It seems to be there to show how everyone sins and no matter how hard you try, the sin is always there. You will never escape it no matter how long you suffer. It also shows how from the 'bad' there is good that can still come out of it for others. So its like Hester and the Rev. were spending their lives in sorrow n good deeds til they die and maybe they will be forgiven by god. It didnt like how they didnt seem to evee have peace. They were in deep love and instead of being happy, they were not allowed for the 'sin' they did. I can see how it may have been loved back in the 1800s but not my kind of book. the author also had a lot of deeo details on a person everytime they came into a chapter. Overall, I see the great hisoric value but I wont read again. "

Steve | 2/8/2014

" Again, probably would have liked this book if I had not been in 8th grade and had it forced on me. "

Tori Fry | 2/8/2014

" Puritans are boring even when there are lies, cheating, and sex. "

Adam | 2/6/2014

" Story about an adultress.. dated language and somewhat tame compared to todays sultry romances.. "

Michael Lee | 2/4/2014

" maybe it was because i was forced to read this in HS, or it is not my preferred genre, but it was painful. "

Jennifer | 2/3/2014

" This is a reread from years ago. I always feel bad for people in societies that don't have the whole truth and are forced to suffer because of a lack of understanding. The contrast between Hester and Dimsdale is well done. "

Nikki | 2/3/2014

" Ticks me off. They were SO stupid back then. I prefer modern day literature. Only good thing about this book was that it was semi-entertaining when I was bored. "

Brit | 2/2/2014

" Proof that people will always be hypocritical and judgemental. Not my favorite book. "

Evan | 2/2/2014

" Well thank you for asking what i think about this book. No one should ever be subjected to read this or ever want to read this. It wouldnt be completely horrible if i could understand what is happening but i can not even understand the vocabulary and sentence structure. This gets one star in my book. "

Rosemond Cates | 2/2/2014

" One of my all time favorites! "

Karen Hunt | 2/1/2014

" Interesting book written in 1850, but set in Puritan USA. About a woman who has to wear an A because she had a child out of wedlock. There are a couple of lines where Hester Prynne refers to a time where there may be equality between men and women, so it has been seen as something of a feminist text (even though there really are only a couple of these lines). Not riveting, but an interesting enough read. "

Mark Glidden | 1/30/2014

" A thought-provoking look at religious and social life (if indeed they could be separated) in early Puritan colonial America. What seems to be a morality play cleverly frames an insightful look at various theological themes, such as guilt, sin, mercy and revenge. Perhaps more relevant now in a world turning back towards fundamentalist Christianity than ever before, "The Scarlet Letter" serves as a tale, ultimately, about the heavy burden that can be imposed upon an individual's life and soul if religion is separated from conscience and mercy. "

Nora | 1/30/2014

" I have read this book several times, and every time I do I am angered by the duality of it all! But I guess that's really the point. "

Star Shyne Brite (Stargirl) | 1/30/2014

" this was really well written and interesting. Pearl is a creepy child but I rwally liked the book "

Harris Wypyszinski | 1/29/2014

" pretty enjoyable... was ok good classic book "

Cassi Deluca | 1/28/2014

" I did not really like The Scarlet Letter because it was very confusing throughout the book. The whole story seemed to drag along and included words I did not really understand. During the book I would tend to drift off because it was kind of a bored to me. I did however liked the use of imagery in the book, it was very detailed which did help with understanding the book more. "

Jeanne | 1/27/2014

" When I started rereading this with one of my classes, I hadn't realized I was in for a surprise. I haven't read this book in (you fill in the blank) years....since I was in high school. I loved Hawthorne then and went on to read The House of the Seven Gables. Some books that I reread after (you fill in the blank) years I don't enjoy quite as much. I had forgotten how much I love the story, his language and the courage of Hester Prynne. "

Italomerante | 1/26/2014

" I thought that this book was very well written. It had a lot of symbolism and imagery. However, this intense description lead to me being bored at times. The end of the book was easily my favorite part. I liked the irony of how Dimmesdale was really the father the whole time, but I thought it got boring as they talked about how he was beating himself up so much for his sin. "

Joelle Gallaway | 1/26/2014

" The Scarlet Letter, overall, was a pretty good book. Nathaniel Hawthornes dark romatic style was slightly depressing. Although I did enjoy his detailed imagery throughout the novel, some of the words and sentence structers were difficult to comprehend. All in all, The Scarlet Letter had a very good story line and plot, however, it was a difficult read. "

R.L. Anderson | 1/26/2014

" I had to read this in high school English class. I found it extremely boring; however, having read it helped me to understand our state's law requiring repeat offender drunk drivers to have orange license plates on their cars. The idea, I have read, was actually inspired by this book, a kind of way to "shame" offenders by making their crimes known to the world. Good idea! "

Nata | 1/22/2014

" There is not much of anything in he Scarlet Letter. As far as the plot goes, Hester's partner in crime is obvious from the beginning. However, there are some interesting aspects concerning sin and morality in this novel. "

Billy | 1/21/2014

" Good book but the author is to wordy for me; one can skip several pages and Hawthorne would be still talking about the same thing. He has several good themes that I liked such as how revenge will corrupt you. His style is dark romantic and maybe if one likes romantic novels this would be a good book but I am really one for action and adventure so this book wasn't my favorite. "

Cody R Ruffing | 1/21/2014

" Nathaniel Hawthorne writes with fantastic darkness that draws the reader into the setting and mood of the novel. His use of imagery and symbols make the book more than just a story to read. Through his writing he creates a piece of literature that intrigues the reader to analyze each word and interpret each meaning. Hawthorne's old writing style also takes the reader back and makes it all the more difficult to completely digest and break down the book making the reader try harder more interested. "

Daniel | 1/21/2014

" Great message. I had to read it again to really get it! "

Emma | 1/19/2014

" It wasn't as bad as I thought surprisingly. Maybe it's because my professor was really into it, her enthusiasm just rubbed off on me. "

Lauren | 1/18/2014

" Ugh. If I could scrub that little beast of a child out of my mind, I would. We basically listened to the audio version in high school, and it was narrated by what sounded like an elderly woman who acted in one too many plays. "

Christina | 1/16/2014

" Interesting social commentary. I like Hester's character. "

Kavan | 1/16/2014

" I did not like the author's writing style. Throughout the book he gets off topic on the current situation and sidetracks too much on the past and gets carried away with symbolism and imagery. I know imagery adds detail to the book, however, I found all of it to take away from the reading experience. If the book was more straightforward and ruled by logic and reason, I would've probably liked the book. I also know the book took place in early colonial times, but I found the puritan community to be hypocritical and delusional with their beliefs. I do not have a problem with their religious belief, but I do have issues with their religious smugness that they are superior and everyone different or made a mistake is below them. This book focused way too much on spiritual consequences and talks little about logic and reality. Instead the book goes into inprobable possibilities such as divine/devil intervention instead of facts and actuality. "

Marlene | 1/16/2014

" The poetic justice in this book never fails to "get" me. I can't remember how many times I've read this book and still find more little tidbits to think about. Drives me crazy. "

Reina Schoch | 1/16/2014

" Read this while in high school. I can't remember which year. "

Ryan Greanias | 1/16/2014

" very vivid storyline. I enjoyed how Hawthorne never came out and said anything, he let the reader figure things out. although, it was a bit of a tough read. keep a dictionary on hand "

Suzi | 1/15/2014

" This book never gets boring and never gets old. Ignoring the Introduction which is an incredibly self indulgent piece of impenetrable writing the actual story is brilliant. Hester is an outcast to inspire us all as she remains strong, devoted and faithful despite the harsh treatment of the puritans. I just love this book and having just finished it for the third time I continue to love it more and more. "

" Definitely a classic that everyone should read to understand references in both pop culture and religion. Unfortunately, this is the only exposure most Americans get to Puritan society. "The Scarlet Letter" is more of a caricaturization of colonial Christianity to the point that the term "Puritanic" has come to be understood as "strict, rigid, and legalistic" by today's language. This should be read with some careful scrutiny. "

Mecca | 1/13/2014

" This is a good story; however, it is stylistically out of date. "

Mewmew9 | 1/11/2014

" The pace was too slow for my liking. "

Ryan Greanias | 1/11/2014

" very vivid storyline. I enjoyed how Hawthorne never came out and said anything, he let the reader figure things out. although, it was a bit of a tough read. keep a dictionary on hand "

Lachelle Redd | 1/7/2014

" I read this story in college. At first, it drove me insane trying to understand just what the big deal was. I don't think I could have kept such a secret especially with the backlash that the woman goes through. Then I realize it's about being who you are no matter what people think. You survive and go the course. "

Dorothy | 1/4/2014

" I read this book in high school. It was part of a reading assignment. I just knew it would be so boring. I was so surprised that I was so captivated by the story. I loved to read before, but after that book I realized my love for books. "

Grace | 1/4/2014

" I didn't understand this book until close to the end "

John Miller | 1/4/2014

" This was very good, but I just found it a little difficult to read. But, a true classic. "

Hadeel | 1/3/2014

" It was wierd book, but I liked it. There are things, especially regarding that tortured idiot DImmesdale and the secret cunning of Roger CHillingworth relationship that was amusing, but overall it was alright... "

Richelle | 1/2/2014

" A great classic! Many hidden meanings that I could uncover with my Socratic class! "

Makeda | 12/31/2013

" This is a book that I read for a class. I've read it before, but like most books new things appear as you read them in different points of life. It has many layers of meaning and although I don't agree with certain things in the book it was a good read. "

Ali | 12/30/2013

" This is barely worth reading even to say "I read it." If you can get through The Custom House (the first forty pages) without falling asleep, then Bravo. It doesn't get much more interesting from there. I'm all about classics, but save your energy on this one. So many better classics to spend your time on. "

Jennifer | 12/28/2013

" This is a reread from years ago. I always feel bad for people in societies that don't have the whole truth and are forced to suffer because of a lack of understanding. The contrast between Hester and Dimsdale is well done. "

Dee Crabtree | 12/27/2013

" I read this in high school (like most of us did) and then again last summer. It's a classic worth revisiting. "

Edelweiss | 12/27/2013

" The book was pretty good, but I dislike the cover. Hester looks like "Weird" Al. "

Melissa | 12/23/2013

" required to read in high school but i fell in love with it in many ways i can relate. "

Sonia | 12/20/2013

" An all time favorite. Love the writing style. Love the story (in a sad/depressing sort of way). Love the depth of the characters. "

R.k.m | 12/18/2013

" Highly confusing and riddled with needless symbolism. The first half of this book is not very entertaining but the second half is pretty decent, but it doesn't save this book from being more than 2 stars. It takes far too long to get into. "

Katie Semack | 12/17/2013

" So far, I like this book. Don't love it, but I like it. It's set in an older time, so the style of writing and scenarios are a bit dated, but I like it nonetheless. Hester Prynne is likeable even though she committed some "horrible crime". I like how it's told from an outside perspective, so the reader gets background and more out of this particular story. "

Colleen Moser | 12/16/2013

" Read this in high school of course, but re-read this about a year ago. Loved it all over again. "

Brocha | 12/11/2013

" O yay! Vindication! I HATED having to read and write about this book as a kid. Now, skimming thru all the negative (adult) reviews, I understand why! "

Liz Gibbs | 12/11/2013

" This was such a bizarre book. Hawthorne is so wordy I could hardly stand it. However, once I got into the plot I did sort of enjoy it. "

Hannah Crossett | 12/10/2013

" I am not a fan of this book, but we had to read it for high school and I learned from this book. "

Nolena | 12/10/2013

" I don't like this book. It is sad, very unfair and all of the above in terrible story. It may be a classic and a great love story but, i could not despise it anymore than i do now. "

Colleen Moser | 12/9/2013

" Read this in high school of course, but re-read this about a year ago. Loved it all over again. "

Katie Semack | 12/9/2013

" So far, I like this book. Don't love it, but I like it. It's set in an older time, so the style of writing and scenarios are a bit dated, but I like it nonetheless. Hester Prynne is likeable even though she committed some "horrible crime". I like how it's told from an outside perspective, so the reader gets background and more out of this particular story. "

Rg | 12/8/2013

" Did I hate this book or did I hate this book? "

Lisa | 12/7/2013

" I finally did my 9th grade homework assignment and I loved it! "

Sonia | 12/7/2013

" An all time favorite. Love the writing style. Love the story (in a sad/depressing sort of way). Love the depth of the characters. "

Swetha Dhanagari | 12/7/2013

" Words in book seemed like I am reading poetry. Good classic "

Cynthia | 12/5/2013

" Keep trying to convince me to like this book. I hated it, utterly. "

Julie | 12/5/2013

" Despite the fact that I've dressed up as Hester Prynne for two separate Halloweens, I didn't care for this book very much. I think my aversion to it wasn't that it was badly written. I just didn't care for the people in the story, and I have to care about the characters to want to read it. "

Earl John | 12/2/2013

" The story deals with adultery and sin, a subject that isn't that popular these days. This book is very challenging. "

Julie Powell | 12/2/2013

" Excellent look at how guilt plays such an important role in our lives and the effects of ignoring the truth. "

Lina | 11/29/2013

" I would actually give this 3.5 stars! It was enjoyable and really thoughtful, only downfall would be how hard and different it was to read. The overall story of it was nice and a good read! "

Kathleen | 11/26/2013

" Like all classics, there are always parts that drag. I read this in 11th grade and wanted to read it again. I liked it better when I read it the second time. I appreciate the imagery much better. "

Patty | 11/24/2013

" Current Book Club read for NOV "

Cory | 10/27/2013

" I enjoyed this book. It demonstrates three different people's reactions to the consequences of sin. As you read of Hester Pryne and her scarlet letter, you will see the power that forgiveness can have in a person's life. "

Jamee Barnes | 10/25/2013

" Somewhat complex but a really good book overall. "

Samefish | 10/22/2013

" Loved it and left with a yearning for more Hawthorne "

Ian | 10/20/2013

" I liked this book, but at times I just felt it was so long-winded and pointless that I had to stop reading. It had some really, really good prose in it, but a lot of it was just out-right unnecessary. "

Rg | 10/20/2013

" Did I hate this book or did I hate this book? "

Samantha | 10/16/2013

" not as exactly what i expected after seeing Easy A... but great descriptive writing "

Gail | 10/14/2013

" Read in high school English Lit class. Can't remember the teachers name, but do remember he had a huge afro and was what we considered subversive. As a teacher he was well liked and respected. He talked to us as peers and talked of life. Something most adults did not do.He loved literature. "

Anya | 10/9/2013

" I really, really liked this book. :) Don't have time to review it right now, but I definately will later. "

Tess Wilmoth | 10/7/2013

" I really did not enjoy this book. "

Deb Mankame | 10/6/2013

" Thanks to Mrs. Chamberlain, I ended up hating this book "

Lexus Sweets | 10/6/2013

" This is the worst book I have read so far...I can't believe I read it but umm people hated Hester but like ...they had some funny things happen in this book "

Greg | 10/5/2013

" Bit of a drainer. Needed an oxygen tank on side to finish. "

Lisa | 9/23/2013

" I finally did my 9th grade homework assignment and I loved it! "

Nancy Graham | 9/19/2013

" I think this classic has aged well. Fascinating character study -- including a grasp of social-think and the capacity for evil in the most unexpected places. "

Deana Bass | 9/2/2013

" "She will not speak!...Wondrous strength and generosity of a woman's heart!" great lines get me every time. "

Johnathan | 8/22/2013

" I did not think this was a very good book. Things just kind of happened out of nowhere. It just seemed really random and confusing. "

Sandy | 8/17/2013

" This book had a lot of description. I read it with curiosity even though I knew how it ended. However, I listened to it for the last 2 chapters. Wishing I had listed to the whole thing. "

Quincey | 8/13/2013

" I thought I read this years ago. I am sorry I missed it. So far, this is an interesting and complex emploration of human strength. "

Sonja | 6/21/2013

" It was not bad, but it was not really good either. The themes of sin and guilt are quite interesting, and I liked the descriptions of the deeply religious Puritan society. "

Jamie | 6/10/2013

" Omg I hated this book, but what a masterpiece. "

Tasia | 5/17/2013

" I've encountered this text a few times, and every time, I become even more disillusioned. Between Hester's creepy child, meteors writing A's in the sky, and all the ridiculous drama attached to guilty souls... No. I can't say I'm all that crazy about this novel, classic or not. "

Ryelmer | 5/11/2013

" Classic "you can run but you can't hide" from who you really are. If the practice of branding individuals for infidelity occurred today, I would buy stock in the company responsible for manufacturing the letters. I'll never look at a person wearing an Anaheim Angels logo the same way. "

Maria Wheeler | 5/5/2013

" Read this one in school. Love sucks! "

Helen | 4/30/2013

" Promising start, but gets very loose in the middle, not easy to read "

Ghada | 3/29/2013

" the author is genius and have high sense and had describe the actions in a creative way "

Tracy Mcdowell | 3/19/2013

" Pearl is one of my favorite charters I have ever read, but the stories flow was choppy and unenjoyable. "

Dee_marie | 3/18/2013

" It's a good book. The language in it is older and more difficult to read. Once i got into the book i really liked it. "

Allison Zink | 3/17/2013

" Good conversions always seems to come from this book! "

Kelly | 3/15/2013

" I like words. This book had beautiful writing. But it was INCESSANT. Too many words in sentence after sentence after sentence. This story could have been told in half the time had Hawthorn been robbed of his thesaurus. "

Mary Alice | 1/29/2013

" I wish I could give six stars. This is a great story told by a master storyteller. "

sandra | 1/19/2013

" Read this in undergrad. Great book "

Nancy Graham | 12/26/2012

" I think this classic has aged well. Fascinating character study -- including a grasp of social-think and the capacity for evil in the most unexpected places. "

Tommy | 12/25/2012

" This book was extremely well written, but average in my opinion. Hawthorne uses an exquisite diction and demonstrates an excellent use of dark romance. Although I found the book quite boring I would still recommend it to others because it is a classic. "

Elana Lanzetta | 11/29/2012

" Interesting to think about the true nature of right and wrong, good and evil....enjoyed "

Tracy Mcdowell | 11/29/2012

" Pearl is one of my favorite charters I have ever read, but the stories flow was choppy and unenjoyable. "

Florin Pitea | 11/1/2012

" I read this when I was a student and enjoyed it quite a lot. "

Johnathan | 10/16/2012

" I did not think this was a very good book. Things just kind of happened out of nowhere. It just seemed really random and confusing. "

Natasha | 9/21/2012

" I forgot how good this book was and I think I appreciated it more reading it as an adult. "

Lois | 8/25/2012

" once you get past the intro, its pretty good "

Shannon H | 8/16/2012

" I went back recently and read this book again, after discovering Nathaniel Hawthorne in my family tree. Takes on a different feeling knowing someone you are related to wrote this Classic. "

Sophie-louise Truelove | 8/16/2012

" Well written, with some thought-provoking sentences, but ultimately a long-winded book about religion, good and evil. Also, I found Nathaniel Hawthorne's male chauvinism highly unpalatable. The best part of his novel is the character, Pearl, the otherworldly child of Hester Prynne. "

Michael Lee | 8/2/2012

" maybe it was because i was forced to read this in HS, or it is not my preferred genre, but it was painful. "

Sonja | 8/1/2012

" It was not bad, but it was not really good either. The themes of sin and guilt are quite interesting, and I liked the descriptions of the deeply religious Puritan society. "

Martha Fedorowicz | 7/31/2012

" I hate this book! If it had been short story as Hawthorne intended it to be, it would have been so good! "

M Prasanna | 7/22/2012

" Really liked the story even though there was not much action. Was really poignant but liked it. Lots of feelings and views packed in the story. Four star rating is because of the ending. "

J-P Teti | 7/5/2012

" Verily indeed, this book doth suck! Behold how confusing and archaic the language hath appeared unto me! Thou who reads this surely shall die (of boredom, at least). "

Kelly Cosio | 7/3/2012

" Reading along with the 11th grade English Lit class "

Johnathan | 6/19/2012

" I did not think this was a very good book. Things just kind of happened out of nowhere. It just seemed really random and confusing. "

LaVonne Powell | 6/14/2012

" One of the best books I have ever read. I want to read it again. "

Amy Wolf | 6/7/2012

" I'm not a huge fan of most 19th century American novels, but this one is a barnburner! Hawthorne assauges his guilt (his Uncle was a judge at the Salem Witch Trials) by damning Puritan society for their treatment of Hester Prynne & her pastor/lover. "

Jess | 6/6/2012

" A worthwhile classic, certainly. The first section--The Custom House--can be tedious, but once you get into Hester Prynne's infuriating story, you don't want to leave it. "

Cassidy Diehr | 5/24/2012

" I liked this book because it was suspenseful. "

Dee_marie | 4/26/2012

" It's a good book. The language in it is older and more difficult to read. Once i got into the book i really liked it. "

Patty | 4/14/2012

" Current Book Club read for NOV "

Jen Denis | 4/13/2012

" If you can get past the archaic language and get into the story, you will start to love and hate the characters in this book. "

Edelweiss | 4/5/2012

" The book was pretty good, but I dislike the cover. Hester looks like "Weird" Al. "

Steven | 4/5/2012

" I read it in high school. I you're not used to the "language" you will be lost. But if you have an English teacher explain it to you it's fantastic. "

Mo | 4/1/2012

" Required reading in high school. "

Makeda | 3/13/2012

" This is a book that I read for a class. I've read it before, but like most books new things appear as you read them in different points of life. It has many layers of meaning and although I don't agree with certain things in the book it was a good read. "

Becka Lue :D | 3/12/2012

" Most boring required book I've ever been forced to read. "

Cathy Bainbridge | 3/8/2012

" Another book I read in highschool and recently re-read. Hester Prynne is an incredibly strong woman. Has a surprise ending. I appreciated it more the 2nd time. "

Sanja Aisha | 2/16/2012

" "In short, unpleasant as was my predicament at best, I saw much reason to congratulate myself that I was on the loosing side , rather than the triumphant one. . . "

Jacqueline | 2/8/2012

" Oh lord the run on sentences... "

Katelyn Irons | 1/23/2012

" Good writing, but frankly not to my taste. I dislike the fact that they force everyone to read this in high school. I think there are a lot better books out there... "

Devon | 1/22/2012

" a bit hard to get through but great message and storyline. "

Kindra | 1/14/2012

" Good read, but a little sad. I love the transcendentalists. "

Frances | 1/5/2012

" I like to talk about this book more than I enjoy reading it. This is very Hawthorne, but I prefer his short stories. Such heavy-handed symbolism! "

Crystal Ecker | 12/26/2011

" The Scarlet Letter was an interesting book. The dark romantic style of Nethaniel Hawthorne was slightly disturbing though. He always had some type of unexpected ironic twist throughout the story. However, the book was also very hard to read because of the old fashioned English style. "

Michelle Lavender | 12/7/2011

" who could not love a book which begins 'a throng of bearded men' loves it "

" I read this every year with my Honors classes, and I love it every time! "

Lauren | 7/23/2011

" Ugh. If I could scrub that little beast of a child out of my mind, I would. We basically listened to the audio version in high school, and it was narrated by what sounded like an elderly woman who acted in one too many plays. "

Becka Lue :D | 7/2/2011

" Most boring required book I've ever been forced to read. "

Lowell | 6/30/2011

" Nathaniel Hawthorne's overly flowery style is not my cup of coffee, but the story is nonetheless moving, at least to me. "

Sandra Durand | 6/23/2011

" I didn't like reading this book. Too degrading. "

Katrina | 6/3/2011

" I hated this book very much. Reading it in my English class was an awful experience "

Debbie | 5/28/2011

" It's a classic what else is there to say. "

Patty | 5/25/2011

" Current Book Club read for NOV "

Kristy | 5/22/2011

" I enjoyed this substantially more when I read it again after I was required to read it in high school. Hawthorne makes liberal use of the comma - just ignore them and it flows much better. ;)
"

Rebecca | 5/22/2011

" You know, surprisingly I liked this book when I read it in high school. For all the rap I heard about it, I thought I wouldn't like it. But I felt that the characters were real. And wasn't there a twist-up in the end? I don't remember . ..it's been so long! =)
"

Dav8d777 | 5/21/2011

" Read for school. Painful as all hell.
"

Nisha | 5/21/2011

" I've always enjoyed this book because I find something new to focus on every time I read it. This time around was the contemplation of Chillingworth's moral decline.
"

Katie.bloomfield | 5/18/2011

" As most people, I had to read this for a high school English class. This book is a classic and I actually enjoyed reading it and found the messages is conveyed interesting.
"

Maddie | 5/16/2011

" Read for Abrams junior year AP English...really enjoyed it.
"

Geneal | 5/13/2011

" I appreciate this book more as an adult reader than I did in high school. It is intriguing for many reasons. The hypocrisy of piety rings through the pages. That scarlet "A" is such a unique symbol. Always a good read!
"

Becca | 5/11/2011

" I read this book in high school and could not put it down. I learned so much about the colonial/puritan period from reading it. I am looking forward to rereading as an older adult and finding out how much my perspective has changed.
"

Huma | 5/11/2011

" I hated this book. So much. :| I hate Hawthorne in general.
"

Chole | 5/10/2011

" It was written very long ago and to understand the writing took a little while. But good book
"

F. | 5/8/2011

" This was really well done. Hester Pryn comes out of this the winner. The reverand acted like a weiner for the longest time. The husband was a cruel bastard. That's what I remember about this work. I read this in High School.
"

Other Titles by Nathaniel Hawthorne:

About the Author

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) was born in Salem, Massachusetts, and made his ambition to be a writer while still a teenager. He graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine, where the poet Longfellow was also a student, and spent several years traveling in New England and writing short stories before his best known novel, The Scarlet Letter, was published in 1850. His writing was not at first financially rewarding, and he worked as measurer and surveyor in the Boston and Salem Custom Houses. In 1853 he was sent to Liverpool as American consul and then lived in Italy before returning to the United States in 1860, where he died in his sleep four years later.

About the Narrator

Shelly Frasier
has appeared in many independent film and theater projects in Arizona and
Southern California and has done voice-over work for commercials and animation
projects. She trained at the Groundlings Improv School in Hollywood and South
Coast Repertory’s Professional Conservatory in Costa Mesa, California. She has
performed at theaters throughout North Hollywood and Orange County. Recent
performances include Blue
Window, The Battle of Bull Run Always Makes Me Cry, The Haunting of Hill House, and
a British farcical version of A
Christmas Carol. She resides in Hollywood.

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